


attentionȴ

by sonshineandshowers



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Betrayal, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Harassment, Mental Health Issues, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:47:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23644108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonshineandshowers/pseuds/sonshineandshowers
Summary: The team throws a baby shower for Tally and JT, yet words from the bullpen pop the celebration.For Bad Things Happen Bingo prompt Betrayal.
Relationships: JT Tarmel/Tally Tarmel, Malcolm Bright & JT Tarmel
Comments: 13
Kudos: 112
Collections: Bad Things Happen Bingo





	attentionȴ

Orange and green balloons floated in the corners of the conference room, adding cheer to the typically dull space. A small tower sat in the middle of the table lined with matching ribbon.

“Don’t tell me you made this,” JT said, pulling at one of the curled strands.

“Honey,” Tally poked his side.

“Ainsley knew a place.” Malcolm shared a small smile, looking at the floor. “The rest, well — Mother can’t resist a good party.”

“It’s really nice.” Tally looked between Dani and Malcolm. “Thank you all.”

“I recommend not taking that apart.” Malcolm waved at JT’s fingers. “Something like 300 diapers in that cake.”

“Like a month’s worth,” JT responded.

Malcolm shrugged. “You’re the expert.” To which Malcolm got a small head shake in return.

Tally picked up a meticulously iced cupcake off the table. “They’re double chocolate fudge brownie for mama, there’s vanilla lemon as an alternative, and vegan, gluten-free carrot cake for anyone else,” Malcolm rattled off, pointing at each of the different options.

“Tally to you,” JT corrected.

Tally elbowed him. “I’m not sure who peed in your cornflakes, but you can throw ‘em out — you don’t hafta eat ‘em,” she chided, smiling at him.

Dani smirked and grabbed a cupcake, licking off a bit of the lemon icing. Perched on the end of the table, she could sit back and watch the spectacle of JT being the center of attention unfold.

Gil walked through the doorway with a large, yellow-wrapped box, and JT helped guide it to the table.

“You guys _really_ shouldn’t have. This is all too much,” JT shared, looking around the whole space that had been decorated specifically for them.

“Let them love you. Sit down and have a cupcake.” Tally pulled on his forearm and handed him one.

“We all went in on something off your registry,” Dani explained, pointing at the box, “and then some of us got some small things.”

Edrisa barreled through the door with a large poster and markers in tow. “I’m sorry I’m late, can’t control when someone shows up on my table. Though I wish I could, ‘cause there’d be less murder — “

“Edrisa — “ Gil warned not to turn the baby shower into a discussion of her latest autopsy.

Edrisa stuck the poster onto the window and got back on track. “I have guess the date and baby stats,” she announced, letting go of the hand drawn chart behind her. “Birthdate, name, weight, length — put in your best guess.”

“Jai Ty.” Malcolm looked at JT and offered his guess in speech instead of writing.

“I’m not gonna name my kid after me,” JT dismissed.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t let him,” Tally added, smirking.

“So that’s your name? Jai Ty?” Malcolm persisted.

“Annh.” JT buzzed. “Try again.” JT and Dani shared a smile that the secret was still out of reach.

Malcolm set a small, rainbow pastel bag between Tally and JT. “It’s supposed to be the best chew toy for babies,” Malcolm explained.

“You gonna let them open it before you spoil what’s inside?” Gil joked.

“Yeah, sorry.” Malcolm stepped back from the table.

Tally and JT had a mumble of a conversation over who would do the honors. Setting the wrapper from her cupcake aside, not seeing a card, Tally tipped the bag and slid out a natural rubber giraffe. “What a nice teether,” Tally shared and smiled. “Thank you.”

Malcolm beamed that it appeared they liked it. Ainsley had been right.

A folding box from Dani held a few onesies with _I Call the Shots_ , _Resisting A Rest_ , _Officer in Training_ , and _Mommy & Daddy’s Best Backup_ printed on them. Tally laughed, holding the last one up for the room to see. “These are great,” she thanked Dani.

JT smiled, holding onto the last onesie an extra second before returning it to the box.

A bag from Edrisa had a mobile of birds and foxes drawn like anime characters bursting with every color. Black and white swirls appeared under little umbrellas over their heads. “To help with their development,” Edrisa explained.

“Thanks.” JT pointed the mobile toward Edrisa.

“You open this one,” Gil instructed, putting a small cardboard box in front of JT.

Pulling the flaps back, JT extracted a mug with _DAD_ proclaimed on the side. JT nodded to Gil. “Thanks, boss.”

“We’ll wait on the last one until after food,” Tally suggested.

“It might go in your vehicle,” Malcolm dropped a hint.

The whole room glared at Malcolm.

“What?” Malcolm complained. “I didn’t tell them.”

Gil moved his fingers across his throat, telling Malcolm to be quiet.

The focus of opening presents gone for the moment, JT turned to Tally, resting his hand on the arm of her chair. “Do you want another cupcake? Or did you get lunch before you came? I could get you something.”

“I’m good. Gonna get my guess up onto the board. Can’t have everyone beat us,” she teased, pushing away from the table.

JT threw out their trash, and Gil collected the stray paper to recycle.

“ _That two-bit psycho runs around this precinct like he’s god! Little fucker’s a Whitly!_ “ the booming words ripped through the bullpen, pierced through the celebration into Malcolm, and stuck him in place on the wall he was leaning against in shock.

Gil steamed out the door, the joy in the room leaving with him. “In my office, _now_ ,” Gil barked, the seething grit to his voice so out of place it broke its way through the tunneling haze to Malcolm’s ears.

Like the crack of a whip, Malcolm snapped back to the room and flew out the door in escape.

With a squeeze of Tally’s hand and a quick “be back,” JT charged after him.

Around to the precinct entrance, out the front doors, down the stairs, blaring onto the sidewalk, everyone’s gazes ignored in their wake. Malcolm’s feet flurried seemingly as fast as he could go, fleeing words of betrayal fired by someone who was supposed to have his back.

JT didn’t know if he was running to something, or if he was just trying to get as far away as possible. When JT had first chased after him, he assumed an altercation with the officer would be the problem, but that concern left as soon as they exited the bullpen. Knowing how quickly rational thought could dissipate in a time of crisis, JT wasn’t going to let Malcolm get to his final destination alone.

Eighteenth — seventeenth — sixteenth — tenth, they went on the grand tour of Manhattan through to the arch of Washington Square Park. Malcolm yelled and thumped his fist on a tree several times, the fountain behind them drowning out the sound. Spent, he slumped down the bark, seeking solace in the ground.

He sat there a few minutes getting his breaths from raging down to moderately paced. “Of all the people who would follow, I didn’t think it would be you,” Malcolm commented, looking at the roots near his feet.

“Had to get in my steps for the day,” JT returned.

Malcolm quirked a hint of a smile.

JT crouched down beside another tree, balancing against the trunk. “Stanchfield’s wrong. He’ll be disciplined.”

Malcolm shook his head. “It won’t matter.”

“Gil’ll have a new wall mount by the time we get back.”

“He wouldn’t hurt — “

“Where you’re concerned? Guy’s in deep shit.” JT tossed a pebble from the ground toward another tree.

Malcolm looked up, meeting JT’s eyes. “He’d do the same — “

“Yes. But you’re also his kid.” JT shared a smile. “Gets a little _extra_.”

“We’re all his kids.” Malcolm paused a few moments, drawing circles in the ground, thinking. “He’s gonna be a grandpa.”

“I _highly_ suggest you _not_ try that.” JT chuckled. “You give him a lot of greys, bro, give the guy a break.”

“That’s not how biology works,” Malcolm argued.

“Just remember, he’s the guy who can choose not to call you in on cases,” JT warned.

“Gil’s bigger than that.”

“Uh-huh.”

Malcolm stretched out on the ground, laying down and looking up into the tree branches. “You’ve had to do this with friends.”

“Yes.” JT stayed quiet a moment. Malcolm didn’t push it.

“Could I get a baby name out of you?” The topic changed as quickly as Malcolm’s brain churned.

“Tally likes Pat.”

“Gender neutral,” Malcolm commented. “Maybe I’m making it too complicated. Joe.”

“No.” JT drifted the conversation back. “Never took you as a runner.”

“I’m not.” Malcolm tapped the ground with his closed fist, no vehemence left. “Punch something in the precinct, and I’m the one who gets in trouble. Learning to walk when I can manage.”

“Someone. Coulda clocked him for that.”

“It’s what got me fired from the FBI. Well, that, and oh hi, I’m whack job Whitly.” He faked a smile turned grimace.

“You’re not. Pain in my ass sometimes, sure. But don’t say that.” JT tossed another pebble that connected with a tree and ricocheted off. “I’da hit ‘em.”

“For me?”

“Yes. Good thing we’re both out here, huh?” JT looked at his face, finding Malcolm’s eyes closed.

“Mmmm.”

JT rested his hands on his bent knees. “The shower means a lot to her. Thank you. They did a shit job celebrating at her work.”

Malcolm flipped his hand at the ground. “It was nothing. Sorry I ruined it.”

“Stop that shit. He’s at fault, not you.”

Malcolm sat up and slid his arms around his knees. “You should get back to her.”

“When you’re ready, we’ll both go back. She gets enough of me at home — team can share her a little bit.”

Malcolm drew with his fingers in the ground some more, tracing out paths to places and ideas that never grew beyond his head. Abandoning his canvas, Malcolm pushed up to his feet and dusted himself off. “Your girl awaits.”

“Just call her Tally — she doesn’t like anything else.” JT stood, brushing off his back.

“Okay.”

“Might be a shit few days. If you need an ear, get one of us.”

“Thanks.”

They started the walk back to the precinct, Malcolm chattering about the park’s origin story and JT listening along. Anything to keep Malcolm going.

JT’s phone buzzed in his pocket. “Hi, boss,” he answered. “Yeah, I’ve got him. He’s right here — do you want to talk to him?”

JT handed Malcolm his cell phone. “Hi,” Malcolm said.

“Hey, kid. You alright?”

“Went for a walk. Didn’t even leave a dent in the tree.” JT chuckled beside him.

“Can you two take a detour for a few more hours?”

“Why?”

“I want him outta here before you come back, and it’s going to take a bit with HR.”

Oh. Should he lose his job over that? The public disruption had been uncalled for, and _bad_ , but had it been that bad? Was he losing his job because of him?

“Just for a little while.”

A brief hint of punishment washed through Malcolm that he couldn’t go back to work, where he felt at home. Maybe he deserved it for getting the officer fired.

“Kid — you didn’t do anything wrong,” Gil’s voice broke through his thoughts. “It’s my responsibility as the Lieutenant to handle this as a violation of code of conduct.”

He knew Gil would do anything to protect him. He also knew he’d abide by NYPD standards to bring the situation to close. Given the downward trajectory of the afternoon, making sure their paths wouldn’t cross was likely a good thing. “Um, yeah. Uh, okay.”

“It’s harassment, Bright. I won’t stand for it. I’ll have ya back in here in a few hours. Unless you want to go home,” Gil added at the last second.

“Work. Please.”

“Okay, then — just a bit. Tally’s gonna meet you guys wherever you pick. Can ya give me back to JT?”

Malcolm handed the phone back and looked down at the seams between the sections of sidewalk, wondering what reentering the precinct would be like.

JT tapped his shoulder, held his hand over the phone, and asked, “Barney’s okay for lunch?”

Malcolm nodded.

“I’m sure he’s just getting everyone calmed down,” JT reassured once he hung up the phone.

Malcolm ignored the topic entirely and kept playing with whether he could walk without stepping on any of the cracks in the concrete. “So is Tally gonna get the combo, or a sandwich?”

“You’re the only one who eats soup there, man.”

“Thanks for doing this.”

“Really helped my daily exercise goal.” JT smirked back.

They walked to the sandwich shop, ate with Tally, and waited for news that the man who had betrayed him had been walked out of the building. They got so caught up in conversation, they didn’t realize how much time had passed until Gil called JT back, saying, “Bring our boy in.”

They walked back into the precinct together.

Teammates.

Friends.

“Are there any cupcakes left?” Malcolm asked, entering the conference room.

Dani was the only one still around. All of the party had been dismantled, and all the gifts had been loaded into JT’s car. “There’s two for you on my desk,” Dani indicated, looking up from a case file. “You good?”

Malcolm held a thumbs up through the door on his way out. He bit into one of the cupcakes. _Mmm, lemon_.

The best kind.

He sat in his chair, savoring his treat, contemplating a moment of silence for his last day of anonymity in the precinct.

“Hey, kid.” Gil rubbed the back of his neck.

Malcolm handed him the other cupcake, and Gil let go of him to take it.

“I’m sorry that happened,” Gil shared. “Can we talk in my office?”

“I’d rather sit here.”

“Stopped it as quick as I could. Unacceptable. Not on my watch, kid. This whole team has your back.”

“I know.” But there was still information released he hadn’t wanted to tell anyone else. Insinuations about his health he didn’t want discussed when he walked through the halls.

“Have your snack. Settle in a bit. Then, when you’re ready, come talk to me. I need you to know what support is available if anyone tries to give you a hard time about what happened today.”

Malcolm’s eyes widened. “Retaliation?”

“I only want you to be prepared. In case.”

Malcolm rubbed his forehead and let out a breath. “This biggest thing I worried about this morning was whether JT and Tally were going to like the party.”

“It was wonderful,” Gil praised.

“The rest of it’s — “ Malcolm trailed off, holding his palms up in exasperation.

“We’ve got your back.” Gil rested his hand on Malcolm’s shoulder

Malcolm stayed quiet, seemingly stuck in the darker side of the day.

“Look at it this way,” Gil encouraged. “I haven’t seen JT squirm like that since he got married.”

“Really?” Malcolm’s eyebrow perked with his interest.

“Hell yeah — hates the attention.” Gil’s hand gave a sweeping motion away from him.

“Have to agree with him.” Malcolm shared a wayward smile.

“Find me when you’re ready,” Gil instructed, giving his shoulder a last squeeze.

“Sooo — next week,” Malcolm joked.

“Before you go home,” Gil reminded, returning to his office.

Malcolm slid his legs under his desk, but his feet were stopped by something. He reached underneath to find an orange balloon with a smiley face drawn on it in black sharpie. _To brighten your day — E_ , was written on the ribbon in tiny lettering. He smiled at the small, uplifting gesture.

Malcolm tied the balloon to the arm of his chair, opened a case file, and settled into working, reaching for the feeling of home.

* * *

_fin_

**Author's Note:**

> stemmed from an idea i had during flash fics


End file.
